Cattitude

I'm on my second weight loss surgery so far. I felt really bad when my gastric bypass from 2005 started to fail after I lost 160 lb. Now I know I'm far from the only one who has had problems with this surgery. Not that I'm knocking it... but there are things I wish I knew when I first got the surgery. Like "after care and nutritional support is MANDATORY" (though I'm in Canada where medical care is surprisingly hard to find) and "DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES drink alcohol!" - unless you want to be an instant alcoholic. Live and learn.

After my first weight loss I also had a tummy tuck, botched, with life-threatening complications.

Drinking and a health issue that required meds that cause weight gain, contributed to my regaining all but 30 of that 160 I lost, I went to rehab for the booze (4 years sober now) and I had lap-band surgery (Jan 9/13) as a sort of revision of the gastric bypass. I figured if I could lose 160 lb. and keep it off for 5 years, I can do it again. After the lap-band I didn't lose an ounce for almost a year, then I finally got a fill done in 2014. I worked with my doctor to reduce or eliminate the meds that caused the worst side effects. Then I cut meat, processed foods and grains out of my diet, and the weight started falling off. As of 3/28/15 I'm at 152 lb, and I want to get back to 135-140 and stay there.

I now use a Misfit Shine to track my eating and exercise habits. I highly recommend some sort of fitness tracker if you're trying to lose weight or keep it off - it's a real eye opener to see your eating, sleep and exercise habits in detail!